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Root Causes of Procrastination

Lyman A. MontgomeryAugust 3, 2017

Avoid these three roots of procrastination.

As much as we don’t want to admit it, we all procrastinate. We often give petty reasons to place a task aside and do something less important. What’s even more problematic is that technology has made procrastination more tempting. The hours spent mindlessly scrolling through our Facebook walls and refreshing our Twitter feeds could have been used to do something more productive.

To beat procrastination, we need to understand its roots and cut it before it grows. Once we understand what causes procrastination, we can address it and avoid putting off our task.

Below are the three root causes of procrastination:

Common Fears

Fear can cause us to stop in our tracks. Sometimes, it can even cause us to turn back. Fears that contribute to procrastination are,

Fear of failure. The idea of a possible failure can effectively keep you from making an attempt at a particular task.

Fear of painful outcomes. This could stem from a bad experience in which you have not come to terms with.

Fear of missing out. When you feel like you need to do everything and be everywhere, finishing a task can sometimes make you feel like you’re missing out.

Those who procrastinate because of fear often delay their task or simply wait for it to pass or be given to someone else so they won’t have to deal with it. Once they have to face the consequences of not delivering their task, they oftentimes become depressed and accept failure easily. Ironically, all that they feared actually comes true and could have been avoided if they didn’t procrastinate.

Comfort Zones

Most people who consciously want to avoid working on a task will usually form some sort of comfort zone. It’s comforting to know what can possibly happen in a certain situation. This is why people usually hide behind the comfort of the phrase “I don’t know.” This avoids any follow-up actions or comments from other people on why they didn’t do their task, as well as avoid having to find solutions or deal with conflict.

Another example is when one says that there is a lack of supporting tools for the job. They then put off the task and not take initiative in achieving their goal. When someone feels uncomfortable or unsure about a task, they’ll most likely procrastinate.

Your Perspective on the Situation

How a person sees and assesses the situation is a big indicator on whether they will procrastinate or not. If we don’t see the task as urgent and important, we usually end up putting it off. It’s important that we have the right mind-set when performing a task. We need to be positive that we can finish the task. We need to be organized to avoid any delays, and we need to be responsible for the things that require our attention.

Interested in beating procrastination? Grab a copy of my book and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. Feel free to leave a comment below.